Are you familiar with LOLcats, Grumpy Cat, Nyan cat and other cat-related Internet sites and memes? Why do you think they’re so popular? Do you tend to click on things like this? Have you ever posted anything on the Internet about cats yourself?

After Reading

1. What does anthropomorphism mean, and what do you think it has to do with the popularity of cats on the Internet?

2. When, where and how, according to this exhibit, did the history of cats on the Internet begin?

3. What is “the very first example of the genre”?

4. The museum’s executive director says, “Some people are going to sneer at this — they tend to trivialize cats. By putting this in a museum, we’re not saying that it’s art, we’re not saying that it’s not art — we’re saying it’s culturally significant.” Do you think the phenomenon of cats on the Internet is culturally significant? Why or why not?

5. Who is Henri, le Chat Noir? Do you think the videos about him sound funny?